Tommy Malek (Gordon Schwinn)
Tommy is thrilled to be working on A New Brain at CCBC with this amazing team of artists! Tommy has been proudly acting, directing, and designing in the DMV for the last 15 years. Recent roles include The Baker in Into the Woods with Theatre at CBT, Emcee in Cabaret with Silhouette Stages (2020 WATCH Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical), and William Barfée in Spelling Bee with Artistic Synergy of Baltimore. Next up, Tommy looks forward to directing one of his very favorite theatrical works,RENT, with The Heritage Players this summer! Many thanks to the cast & production team of A New Brain for a memorable time together—we have so much spring! Enjoy the show.

Amber Williams (A Homeless Lady)
Amber is a theatre major who has appeared in many both on and off of the CCBC campus. Most notable roles include Tilly in She Kills Monsters, Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, and Motormouth Maybell in Hairspray. Amber is working towards an Associate's degree to transfer to a 4-year university.

Ashley Mayfield (Rhoda)
Ashley returns to the stage after her involvement in The Underpants earlier this season. Previously, you may have seen her in Plague Plays or the Spring Arts Festival. Ashley is very excited to be in her second musical and her fifth CCBC production. She would like to thank her professors for their support.

Marshall Gibbs (Mr. Bungee)
Marshall is excited to hippity-hop into the world of A New Brain. Notable roles of his include School of Rock (Dewey Finn) and Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth). He is a second-year Theatre major and works as Education Assistant at Chesapeake Arts Center. He is also the composer and writer of a new musical, He Has Risen, which will be workshopped at CCBC Catonsville later this spring. Enjoy the show- Kerplop!

Destiny Gross (Tadpole)
Destiny is a second-year General Studies student. This Destiny’s second show with CCBC. She previously worked as an understudy in last fall’s production of The Underpants. In the fall, Destiny plans to transfer to Grand Valley State University.

Michelle Harrison (Tadpole)
With her passion for musical theatre, Michelle is beyond thrilled to be in A New Brain. She is a Performing Arts major with a concentration in Theatre. She was in CCBC’s production of Our Lady of Kibeho(cancelled by COVID). This will be her first live performance at CCBC. After this semester, Michelle plans to transfer to a four-year university to study musical theatre.

Ayaan Shah (Richard)
Ayaan is in his first year as a Theatre major at CCBC with a sizeable past in Performing Arts. He has starred in shows like Annie and Wizard of Oz. Ayaan has been singing since his elementary school choir. He plans to transfer to UMBC.

Jennifer Casagrande (Nancy D/Waitress)
Jennifer returns to CCBC Catonsville after appearing last semester as Caroline in Detroit ’67. Jennifer is a second-year Theatre major and has also appeared in CCBC’s Spring Arts Festival in 2021 and Parkville High School’s Songs for a New World. She plans on transferring to a 4-year university to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts after getting her Associate’s degree at CCBC.

Francesco Leandri (Doctor)
Francesco comes to the stage at CCBC Catonsville for the first time after appearing in Frankenstein, Argonautika, and Father Comes Home from the Wars at CCBC Essex. They are an alumnus of CCBC, now studying Theatre & Education at Towson University.

Benjamin McCardell (The Minister)
Benjamin is excited to participate in their second production at CCBC. They are studying theatre at CCBC and are planning to attend a 4-year university after completing their AFA. Benjamin would like to thank Regan for her continued love and support.

Eric Akordor (Roger Delli-Bovi)
Eric is in his second year at CCBC. He previously played Adam in CCBC’s workshop of He Has Risen! Before CCBC, he was in Bugsy Malone (Fizzy), 67, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast (Baker).

Kristen Zwobot (Mimi Schwinn, Mother)
Kristen is excited to be back onstage. Favorite roles include: bare (Conejo Productions: Nadia), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Chesapeake Music Hall: Narrator), Great American Trailer Park Musical (Spotlighters: Pickles), Shovel in the Dirt (Stillpointe: Cecile), prog metal version of Sweeney Todd (Landless: ensemble – Helen Hayes nomination) and Kennedy Center's Broadway: A New Generation (soloist w/Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman). Many thanks to the cast and crew and to her co-stars in life, Brett and Brooks.

Damon Krometis (The Father)
Damon is the Theatre Coordinator on the Catonsville campus. He is thrilled to make his return to musical theater after 19 years! Previous roles include Dr. Parker in Bat Boy: the Musical, Herr Schultz in Cabaret, and Fred Casely in Chicago. It’s a joy to work with this team.

William Finn & James Lapine (Authors)

Click here to read about the author.

Zach Hartley (Director)

(MFA: Acting – Kent State University, BA: Theatre – The Ohio State University) has directed and performed regionally and internationally with many companies including the Contemporary American Theatre Company, The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and the Virginia Arts Festival. His previous directing credits at CCBC include the Spring Arts Festival 2021, Play(gue), She Kills Monsters, Working: A Musical and Rashomon, and fight choreography for Rashomon, Romeo and Juliet, The Zoo Story, and True West. He is a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique through the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium.

Rachel Sandler (Musical Director)

Rachel is honored to join the CCBC theatre faculty for this production of A New Brain. Rachel is a frequent music director for the Baltimore area community & professional theatre scene. Some theatres she works with frequently include The Heritage Players & Silhouette Stages. Rachel is the owner of Rachel Sandler Music, which provides voice, audition prep, piano & other instrumental lessons both locally and virtually all over the world. You can find her on TikTok @rachelsandlermusic where she shares easy to follow singing tips & musical theatre content. Inquire for lessons & other collaborations at www.rachelsandlermusic.com. Enjoy the show!

Tommy Parlon (Choreographer)

Tommy is the Artistic Director of Tommy Parlon Dance Projects in Washington, D.C. and the Dance Coordinator at CCBC. He received his M.F.A. in Dance (Choreography and Technology) from Arizona State University and his BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. He was an Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University. While in New York City he danced with J. Fregalette Janson Dance, Centaur Dance Theatre, Beyondance Inc! and the Paris based multi-media performance art company FIASCO. Tommy has danced in pieces by Doug Varone, Stephen Petronio, Alvin Mayes, Laura Dean and Elizabeth Streb. In 1996-1998 he collaborated on Falling to Earth, an interactive multi-media performance piece created with the Institute for Studies in the Arts at Arizona State University. His choreography has been commissioned by Incidents Physical Theater of New York City; NEW ARTiculations in Tucson AZ; Lansing Chamber Dance in Michigan; and numerous colleges throughout the United States. He was awarded an Individual Artist Award in Solo Dance Performance from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2004 and an Artist Award in Choreography in 2007.

G. Maurice (Moe) Conn (Technical Director/Scenic/Lighting Designer & Operator)

Moe is in his eleventh year with CCBC where he is the full-time Technical Director and Designer at CCBC Catonsville’s Center for the Arts Theatre. He has an MFA in Scene Design and Technical Theatre. Moe has been doing technical theatre since 1993, as a Designer, Technician, Technical Director, and Educator. He served as the Technical Director for five summers at Cockpit in Court where he continues to design both lights and sets. He has also designed for Vagabond Players in Fells Point. Moe has received multiple nominations for Best Scene Design from Broadway World.com and received Best Scenic Design from the MD Theatre Guide’s Readers’ Choice Awards. When not backstage, Moe volunteers with “Behind the Scenes” which provides financial support for theatre technicians in need throughout the entertainment industry. He also helps coordinate the Long Reach Long Riders charity motorcycle ride, (www.LRLR.org) to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity fights AIDS and Behind the Scenes, two theatre-based charities.

Jason Randolph (Sound Designer/Operator)

BS Math, College of William and Mary
MFA Rinehart School of Sculpture, MICA
MFA Technical Theatre and Design, UVA
TD/Resident Scenic Designer Single Carrot Theatre 2014-2017
TD CCBC Essex 2015-present
TD Cockpit in Court Summer Theater 2016-present

 

Sharlene Clinton (Costume Designer)

Sharlene is a writer, singer-actor, dancer, costume designer and make-up artist. Sharlene has worked as the Costume Designer for several productions for the Fine and Performing Arts department of Morgan State University, Coppin Repertory Theatre, Fells Point Corner Theatre, The Strand Theatre, Single Carrot Theatre, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and other local theatres in the Baltimore Area; There was a Boy, The Bluest Eye, Crowns, Broke-ology, Jitney, Reparations, The Color Purple, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, In the Blood, A Raisin in the Sun and Sojourners to name a few. Sharlene has performed in the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s premiere of Margaret Garner and 2007 production of Porgy and Bess and graced the stage in Theatre Morgan’s production of The Wiz, Raisin, as Lena Younger, Black Nativity and the one-woman show, Big Momma an Em. She is also a member of the Carter Legacy Singers.

Mone't Howard (Stage Manager)
Monet continues gaining experience being a stage manager at CCBC. She was a stage manager for Detroit ‘67 at CCBC and now stage manages her first musical with A New Brain.